Next-Step

Next Step is a General Studies Programme (GSP) activity involving the definition of models and research studies of relevance to Human Spaceflight projects in LEO and beyond, in the 2025-2030 time-frame.

Next Step has several complementary goals:

Investigating the scientific questions that are linked to space travel beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO), especially those that can give Europe a head-start in research areas (beyond ESA current programmes) that require long lead times, to provide timely technological solutions.

Investing in research now also can help to build up competence on topics that are relevant to exploration but also to ground applications: recycling of resources, environmental control, biological radiation hazards etc.

Scientific knowledge and models e.g. on the interplanetary environment can also help make early design phases more efficient, saving time and resources by making well-informed decisions.

Among the questions that are being addressed are the following:

How does the environment in interplanetary space influence the spacecraft design and how does it change while moving in the interplanetary medium?

What Life Support System technology is suitable for a certain mission duration and crew size and what are the physical aspects driving the decision?

How do orbital design and propulsion choices affect the spacecraft capability of reaching destinations in Near-Earth interplanetary space?

Next Step comprises a number of individual GSP studies and also workshops and focus groups, as part of the GSP biannual work plan, with preparatory phases in 2011-2012 (including e.g. the NEMS CDF internal study and the 15th October 2012 Next Step workshop) and implementation in 2013-2014 (industrial studies).

As ESA’s ɸ-week draws to a close, it’s worth remembering that the science and technology involved in observing our planet from space isn’t entirely for the preserve of experts. With a growing interest in the environment and the climate, there are plenty of opportunities for the general public to take part.

Access to space was in the spotlight at this week's Φ event which followed an ESA-hosted workshop on Europe’s emerging microlaunch services held in Paris, France for industry, investors and institutions.

In mid-December, twin discs will begin glowing blue on the underside of a minibus-sized spacecraft in deep space. At that moment Europe and Japan’s BepiColombo mission will have just come a crucial step closer to Mercury.

It may not be your actual Superman, but participants to ESA’s ɸ-week are certainly embracing some ‘superhero’ ideas for the future of Earth observation, including high-flying platforms – something between a satellite and an aircraft.

As ESA’s ɸ-week draws to a close, it’s worth remembering that the science and technology involved in observing our planet from space isn’t entirely for the preserve of experts. With a growing interest in the environment and the climate, there are plenty of opportunities for the general public to take part.

Access to space was in the spotlight at this week's Φ event which followed an ESA-hosted workshop on Europe’s emerging microlaunch services held in Paris, France for industry, investors and institutions.

In mid-December, twin discs will begin glowing blue on the underside of a minibus-sized spacecraft in deep space. At that moment Europe and Japan’s BepiColombo mission will have just come a crucial step closer to Mercury.

It may not be your actual Superman, but participants to ESA’s ɸ-week are certainly embracing some ‘superhero’ ideas for the future of Earth observation, including high-flying platforms – something between a satellite and an aircraft.

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It is time to prepare to listen to space. To celebrate the launch of the European Student Earth Orbiter (ESEO), ESA’s Education Office challenges the amateur radio community to listen out to be first to hear the new spacecraft orbiting Earth.

ESA Education and the Raspberry Pi Foundation are delighted to announce that Phase 2 of the European Astro Pi Challenge: Mission Space Lab has begun. During Phase 1, we received a record-breaking 471 entries from 24 countries! Now, the 365 selected teams will have the chance to write computer programs for the scientific experiments they want to send to the Astro Pi computers aboard the International Space Station (ISS)!

Last week enthusiastic future engineers and scientists had the chance to participate in the ESA Academy’s inaugural Space Systems Engineering Training Course at the Academy’s Training and Learning Facility, ESEC-Galaxia, Belgium.

This pilot cycle brought together the 30 University students, representing 16 ESA Member States, with ESA current and retired staff, who, armed with a wealth of experience in Space Systems Engineering and Project Management, set about the task of divulging the rich and varied work of a System Engineer at ESA.